CORNBREAD DRESSING 2 pans day-old cornbread, crumbled 1 loaf of country white bread, torn into small pieces 4 stalks celery, small diced 4 carrots, small diced 2 onions, small diced 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (oregano and sage, if you like) 4 ounces chopped chicken livers 6-7 ounces butter 6 eggs, beaten 6 roasted/braised chicken breasts, shredded 1 quart chicken stock 1 pint heavy cream In a large bowl combine cornbread and white bread. Saute onions, carrots, celery and garlic together in 2 to 3 ounces of butter until softened. Add livers and thyme, cook liver until it is no longer pink, stir in 4 ounces of butter. Combine vegetable mixture with chicken, add to bread with one quart chicken stock and heavy cream. Season and add whipped eggs. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture for gravy. Spread the remaining mixture in buttered pans (9x13 works well), should be moist. Refrigerate overnight. Cook the dish covered in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, then uncover and let brown in oven 10-15 minutes.
CORNBREAD
DANIEL WALKER
2 cups yellow cornmeal 2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 4 ounces butter 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup flour 4 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Alexis Jones
Natchez
Chef Alexis Jones grew up outside of Jackson, Miss., and attended culinary school in Chicago, but found her way to Little Rock in 2011 when she was offered a position at Ashley’s under the direction of Chef Lee Richardson. She opened her own restaurant, Natchez, just over a year ago downtown. Jones is committed to using the freshest ingredients possible — not always an easy task when a good majority of your menu involves seafood and you live in the center of a landlocked state like Arkansas. She also plans and executes a new menu daily, a practice that also allows her to use primarily what’s in season, without having to rely too much on stockpiles of boxed, frozen or processed ingredients. Raised in a home that was proud of its Southern traditions, she says much of her passion for cooking stems from a heritage studded with exceptional home cooks. Jones provides us with a recipe for cornbread dressing, a dish that finds its way on her family’s table every Thanksgiving and Christmas. DW.
Mix melted butter, buttermilk and eggs together. Add to dry mixture of cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top.
GRAVY 1 small onion diced 4 ounces flour 4 ounces butter 2 ounces chopped chicken livers 1 quart chicken stock 2 boiled eggs, diced 1/2 cup cornbread dressing mixture (see above) 2 oz. heavy cream 1 tablespoon lemon juice kosher salt Cook onions in a small amount of oil or butter, add livers and flour. Cook until flour starts to turn golden, stir in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add heavy cream, lemon, and season with kosher salt. Just before serving, add cornbread dressing mixture and boiled eggs and heat through.
www.arktimes.com
NOVEMBER 28, 2013
17